Springboks stunned by Cape crusaders

IRELAND made history in Cape Town with a performance of remarkable defiance. Play with 14 men for 57 minutes? No problem, why not make it 13 instead?

The last time Ireland lost a man to a red card, they were beaten out the gate in New Zealand, Jamie Heaslip’s expulsion too great a punishment to absorb six years ago.

In sharp contrast, what transpired at Newlands – after CJ Stander deservedly walked for his needless aerial hip-in-the-face charge on Patrick Lambie – was an emphatic response to a situation of real adversity and a first Ireland win in South Africa.

Down a man, and for 10 minutes before the break reduced to 13 with Robbie Henshaw sin-binned for flattening Lambie’s replacement Elton Jantjes, Ireland resisted the temptation to kick the ball away in the hope of gaining territory and breathing space.

Instead, they improvised on the crucial Conor Murray second-half try that shunted Ireland into a lead they were never to lose.

The team’s unified spirit was encapsulated in the contest’s final act where a cavalry arrived to bundle JP Pietersen into touch to prevent the try that would have stolen this momentous breakthrough victory had it been converted.

Despite being at fault for the late intercept try that left the result in doubt until that last whistle, Paddy Jackson can take a bow for a mature contribution that left you wondering did Schmidt err in starting Ian Madigan in the World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina last year.

Better husbandry of Jackson on the Kiwi’s watch would have meant the country wasn’t left waiting until yesterday to learn we do have a reliable Plan B when Johnny Sexton is crocked.

With the genie now out of the bottle, Ireland are Joburgbound dreaming of an unthinkable series win.